Events for Children in NYC This Week

A Charles Addams cartoon from 1956. See listing at right.CreditCreditCharles Addams Foundation

By Laurel Graeber

Nov. 16, 2017

Our guide to cultural events in New York City for families with children and teenagers.

FAMILY DAY: ADDAMS at the Morris-Jumel Mansion (Nov. 18). Many parents might blanch at the prospect of a play date between their children and the sinister siblings of the Addams Family. But no need to worry about this encounter: The young will draw only on the imaginative spirit of the Addamses and their creator, the artist Charles Addams (1912-88), whose mordantly funny cartoons graced The New Yorker for many years. To be held in a suitably old house — the Morris-Jumel was built in 1765 — this celebration revolves around the mansion’s new exhibition, “Charles Addams: Family & Friends,” which features more than 35 of his works, along with photographs and memorabilia. From 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., the mansion will hold a drop-in workshop (registration is recommended), in which children can draw and write their own comic strips — unsettling, uplifting or both.212-923-0008, morrisjumel.org

GUITAR MASH at City Winery (Nov. 19, noon to 3:30 p.m.). Jamming with top-billed musicians is something most amateur players — even adults — can only dream of. But this event, recommended for ages 10 and older, invites all music fans who own guitars — acoustic only, please — to take their instruments and join an “urban campfire.” (Brunch is included, and those who just want to sing or listen are welcome, too.) The performers will include Marshall Crenshaw, Martha Wainwright, Joan Osborne and Mark Stewart, a guitarist for Paul Simon’s band and the musical director of Guitar Mash, a nonprofit that provides music programs to underserved teenagers. This sixth-anniversary celebration will also feature “musical speed dating” in the form of mini master classes with the organization’s alumni.212-608-0555, guitarmash.org/6thanniversary

‘LEAD BELLY, BROOKLYN!’ at the Brooklyn Music School (Nov. 17, 7 p.m.). Many children might think that the wildly popular wild-haired musician Dan Zanes is himself the father of modern family music. But if Mr. Zanes is consulted, he’ll tell you that man is Lead Belly. Young listeners who don’t know about that towering folk and blues figure can learn all about him at this concert, which will feature Mr. Zanes; the jazz vocalists Claudia Eliaza and Pauline Jean; and the students of the Brooklyn Music School in a program of Lead Belly’s best. And audience members can be stars, too: All will be invited to take part in a music video for the song “Rock Island Line” from the latest album by the band Dan Zanes and Friends, “Lead Belly, Baby!”718-638-5660, lead-belly-dan-zanes.eventbrite.com

‘LOUDMOUTH’ at the Tank (through Nov. 18). Young theatergoers may not be familiar with irony, but the title of this new show is a great example: Its 10-year-old heroine, AJ, doesn’t like to talk. Presented by Rebel Playhouse in association with the Tank, this theater piece, written collaboratively by the company’s members, explores how AJ finally finds her voice through an imaginative game she plays with her friends. Incorporating music and dance, the production also offers an optional post-performance workshop in which participants investigate self-expression and invent their own games.212-563-6269, thetanknyc.org

‘THE VELVETEEN RABBIT’ at the TriBeCa Performing Arts Center (Nov. 18, 1:30 p.m.). In Margery Williams’s 1922 book, “The Velveteen Rabbit,” the title character grows old and worn, but that has never happened to the story that gave him life. A children’s classic that refuses to embrace “happily ever after,” it offers a domestic adventure that is also a meditation on loss. This latest theatrical iteration comes from the Pushcart Players, who have turned this tale of a beloved toy into an intimate musical.212-220-1460, tribecapac.org

‘WHO IS BENNY GOODMAN?’ at Frederick P. Rose Hall (Nov. 17-18, 1 and 3 p.m.). More than the King of Swing. Although Goodman earned that nickname as a great clarinetist and bandleader, he was also a pioneer in racially integrating musical performance, tapping African-American players as early as the 1930s. In this hourlong concert, part of Jazz at Lincoln Center’s Jazz for Young People series, children will learn about both Goodman’s values and his music. Hosted by the clarinetist and saxophonist Victor Goines, the interactive show will include Goodman hits like “Sing, Sing, Sing,” “Let’s Dance” and “Bugle Call Rag.”212-721-6500, jazz.org/events

‘WHY DID THE CHICKEN CROSS THE ROAD?’ at the Actors Theater Workshop (Nov. 18, 1 and 4:30 p.m.). This new musical answers not only that timeless question, but another one, too: Which came first, the chicken or the egg? But don’t expect just poultry here: The show, which revolves around a quest to find the most unusual egg, also features a robin, a parrot and a chickadee. Written and directed by Rob Lester, with a score consisting of pop oldies endowed with new lyrics, the production opens the season for the troupe Play Nice People. One way it plays nice: donating ticket proceeds to local charities, including, in this case, organizations serving homeless children.800-316-8559, purplepass.com, playnicepeople.com

Correction:

An earlier version of this article, in the description of Guitar Mash, referred incorrectly to Mark Stewart’s status with Paul Simon’s band. He still plays with the group; he is not a “former guitarist” for it.